Looking Back: Farmington’s first drive-up mailbox was installed 50 years ago this week

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50 years ago

From the Dec. 13, 1962

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Santa coming to business districts

Commercial Club - There will be a free movie for Farmington area children on Dec. 15 at the Lyric Theater with two separate showings. The first showing will be at 10 a.m. for children residing within the village limits and the second showing will be at 2 p.m. for children residing outside the village limits.

Santa Claus will be present and distribute treats to the children at the conclusion of each program.

Downtown merchants – Christmas arrived a little early for 15 local residents when they received turkeys presented by Farmington merchants on Dec. 8.

Those who received one of the 12 to 14-pound birds were: Leon Mulligan, Ingwald Veum, Eldora Hagen, Mrs. Glen Guildner, Mrs. B.Z. Wood, Stella Colebank, Mrs. Roland Perry, Harry McElmury, Billy Grimes, H.A. Fredenburg, Mrs. Stanley Gordner, Mrs. Louis Halverson, Mrs. Virginia Jablonicky, Robert Summers, and one name unknown, all of Farmington. Another 15 birds will be presented on Dec. 15 at Lisle’s Corner.

Farmington agency moving to new office

Announcement came Tuesday from the Farmington Agency, L.A. Hackerson, manger that the insurance firm is moving from Town’s Edge to the former Oxendale Pontiac building, which they will share with Newman’s Service.

The new quarters have been re-decorated. They have a private office which will be carpeted and have a waiting room. The new place opens Monday, Dec. 17, with office hours from 9 to 5.

Local horse becomes national champ

Maid O’ Cotton, a 6-year-old quarter horse belonging to Ray Anderson, Rt. 2, Farmington, has won the 1962 National Cutting Horse affiliate championship. Trophy presentation was made Dec. 9, at Buffalo, Minn. Maid O’ Cotton, acquired by Anderson when just a colt, was sired by Zombi King, owned by Hilmer Wessel of Mound City, South Dakota.

Zombi King will be remembered in this area as he appeared at the Minnesota State Fair, Dakota County Fair and other area shows. Maid O’ Cotton won the Minnesota open cutting horse championship this year also, and for the national award competed at various shows against 15 to 20 horses all over the north central area, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota.

At the presentation a trophy was given to each affiliate of the National organization and Minnesota is among them. Mr. Anderson was riding Maid O’ Cotton, said her earnings this year amounted to about $300 and she appeared at about 13 various horse events.

New drive-in mail pickup here

A new mail pickup box was installed at the Farmington post office on Nov. 28 for the convenience of post office patrons. The large, plainly-marked mailbox is so positioned that mail may be deposited directly from the automobile…. While the box is to be used for the convenience of the public, Postmaster Cook requests that mail of a local nature be mailed inside the post office during postal business hours.

75 years ago

From the Dec. 17, 1937

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Mystery money goes to fund for activities

The $30 which the local school received from an unknown person last week has been placed in the fund for activities, such as athletes and operettas, according to the recommendation of the school board members.

The money, enclosed in an unsigned letter, was received by Supt. C.J. Wall who believes, with others, that it is “conscience money,” presumably sent by the person or persons who robbed the school vault of $27 in the winter of 1931.

Public rink is planned here

That Farmington youngsters will be able to skate during the Christmas holidays seemed a reality today, when plans were underway for a public rink at the school grounds.

The probability of a skating rink was discussed at the school board meeting Monday night. Supt. Wall was appointed to make plans; he confered with Stanley Minnick, head of WPA here, who assured Mr. Wall that the work would be done by this project.

Leslie Ysell, president of the Commercial Club, appointed a committee to meet with Mr. Wall tonight to complete plans. It is thought the village of Farmington will furnish the water.

Mr. Wall said the rink should be in operation if tentative plans mature by next week.

The rink will take care of the recreational problems at school this winter.

Santa is here Saturday

At the invitation of Farmington merchants, Jolly Old Santa Claus will visit Farmington Saturday afternoon of this week on another one of his missions of spreading cheer to good boys and girls of the community.

Ralph Birsdall, secretary of the Farmington Commercial Club, received a radiogram this week direct from Santa headquarters at the North Pole stating that he will arrive in Farmington at 2:00 Saturday afternoon sharp. Owing to the scarcity of snow, Santa will come by truck.

Heralded by girls ringing bells, Santa’s truck will move into Farmington where hundreds of boys and girls will greet him in front of city hall.

Wearing his usual smile from ear-to-ear, Santa will shake hands with the boys and girls and present each one with a bag of goodies. As near as we can learn, the bag will contain candy and nuts and there will be an orange for each one.

During the Santa festivities the loudspeaker at Lyric theatre will furnish music for the crowd on the outside.

100 years ago

From the Dec. 13, 1912

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Board elects Hampton man

At the session of the county board of commissioners which concluded shortly after three o’clock this afternoon, L.L. Rheinhardt of Hampton was elected superintendent of country schools to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late C.W. Meyer.

Mr. Rheinhardt’s time will expire at the first of the year which gives him about three weeks to serve unless re-elected by the new board which goes into power at that time.

Eight ballots were taken at the meeting today and the final ballot stood as follows: Rheinhardt, three; Mrs. C.W. Myers, one; Miss Cora Day, one.

The election of the Hampton man brings to a close one of the most protracted battles of ballots which has ever taken place in this county, a total of 135 ballots having been taken since the board met to appoint Mr. Meyer’s successor, shortly after the general election....

James Brownell dead

James Garfield Brownell was born in Farmington on Aug. 30, 1881, where he made his home until about five years ago when he worked in the West for two years. He returned to his hometown and went to work on a farm in Empire....

Four weeks ago he was taken suddenly ill and was removed to the Detention Hospital at Rochester, Minn. He failed rapidly and Monday, Dec. 2 at 2:15 the end came....

A private funeral was held from the home of his sister, Mrs. L.A. Whittier in this city Wednesday, Dec. 4.

School notes

The basketball girls practiced for the first time this season, Wednesday evening at Hoffman’s Hall. Miss Maloney has been “hired” for coach....

Several high school boys held a meeting in the recitation room Tuesday evening and organized a club which they call the “secret seventeen.” This is all we can say, of this “doing” – it’s a secret.

They elected the following officers: Edward Feely, vice president; Asa Fletcher, secretary; Jo Hartwig, treasurer; and Francis Scanlon, business manager.

Tags: news, farmington, community